<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-11-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000216539</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MEDIA GENERAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MEG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001409888</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001418202</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kim Soohyung</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001465987</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General Fund L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001591884</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General Communications LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Voting Common Stock, no par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-11-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>26698209</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.01</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>26698209</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The securities reported herein were received by the Reporting Persons in exchange for securities of New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (&quot;Young&quot;) in connection with the merger of Young into Media General, Inc. (the &quot;Issuer&quot;).  On the effective date of the merger, the closing price of the Issuer's Voting Stock was $15.01 per share.  The acquisition of such securities by the Reporting Persons was approved pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The securities reported herein are held by Standard General Fund L.P. (the &quot;Limited Partnership&quot;) and Standard General Communications LLC (the &quot;LLC&quot; and, together with the Limited Partnership, the &quot;Funds&quot;), private investment vehicles for which Standard General L.P. (&quot;Standard General&quot;) serves as investment manager.  As the sole owner of the LLC, the Limited Partnership may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the LLC.  Standard General exercises voting and investment control over the shares held for the accounts of the Funds.  Mr. Kim is a director of the general partner of the general partner of Standard General and Chief Investment Officer of Standard General, and in such capacities may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the securities reported herein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest in such shares, and the inclusion of such securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. Mr. Kim is also a Director of Media General, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">As of November 12, 2013, the Limited Partnership and the LLC held 3,749,526 and 22,948,683 shares of the Issuer's Voting Stock, respectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General L.P., by Standard General Holdings L.P. its General Partner, by Standard General S Corp its General Partner, by Soohyung Kim as Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-11-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General Fund L.P., by Standard General L.P. its Manager, by Standard General Holdings L.P. its General Partner, by Standard General S Corp its General Partner, by Soohyung Kim as Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-11-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General Communications LLC, by Standard General L.P. its Manager, by Standard General Holdings L.P. its General Partner, by Standard General S Corp its General Partner, by Soohyung Kim as Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-11-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Soohyung Kim</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-11-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
